Bus operator Go-Ahead Singapore, which was dogged by recruitment problems after its launch last September, now counts more than 750 bus drivers in its ranks, said its new managing director David Cutts.

This exceeds the 700 that it was looking to hire and also readies the firm to launch a new route in April, said Mr Cutts, who was appointed last Thursday.

It is a welcome change from the situation just five months ago.

Then, it had to borrow drivers from SBS Transit and SMRT under sub-contracts after 20 bus drivers left just two weeks after Go-Ahead started operations on Sept 4.

The last of these contracts ended early last month.

Go-Ahead, the second foreign bus firm to break into the Singapore bus market, also saw an unexpected change of management in November, with former managing director Nigel Wood returning to London – where Go-Ahead is headquartered – for personal reasons.

He was succeeded by Mr Cutts, who was previously the deputy chairman.

But the firm is in good shape now and is looking for new ways to improve commuters’ experience, Mr Cutts told The Straits Times in an interview on Wednesday.

The company has a fleet of about 380 buses and operates 24 bus routes in the eastern part of the island.

It plans to roll out its 25th and final service, No. 68, in April – serving the Pasir Ris and Tampines area, via the Tampines North industrial estate.

In November 2015, Go-Ahead beat seven other short-listed firms to win the Loyang tender, giving it the rights to operate 25 services.

The first five months have been anything but smooth, but Mr Cutts said that the firm has learnt from the bumpy ride.

Read also: Go-Ahead scales back multiple route policy​

To better monitor staff morale and concerns, it now organises focus groups, has informal engagements and better work scheduling, to keep staff happy

“Our attrition over the last couple of months has been very low. We are talking maybe one or two a week, sometimes zero,” he added.

In Singapore, over 1,000 bus drivers resign every year – a turnover rate of about 15 per cent.

Go-Ahead also scaled back on interlining, a practice in which bus drivers ply multiple routes – a source of unhappiness early on.

While interlining is widely used by Go-Ahead in Britain, it is applied sparingly in the industry here.

Mr Cutts said: “What we didn’t realise was that for many bus captains who were coming over from other operators, it was not what they were used to.”

Now, fewer than 10 per cent of bus drivers – mainly those who ply feeder services – interline, driving two or more routes in a day.

The firm also plans to go bigger on technology in the coming months.

It hopes to employ data analytics to analyse journey times between bus stops, so it can come out with more accurate bus schedules, Mr Cutts said.

It is also outfitting its buses with a telematics system – a device which can monitor a bus driver’s driving behaviour, such as how hard he brakes, takes corners or accelerates.

Mr Cutts said drivers can be guided on their driving habits.

“If they are driving more smoothly, they are burning less fuel and giving our passengers a more comfortable and safe journey,” he added.

The extra attention to detail has not gone unnoticed.

Recruitment executive Jennifer Tham, 27, who took service 2 last month, said the bus captain – whom she had earlier asked about the route, mentioning her stop – went the extra mile to wake her up after she fell asleep and nearly missed her stop. “It made my day, and I was really surprised he did that.”

Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport deputy chairman Ang Hin Kee said of Go-Ahead’s teething issues: “New operators need to figure out the right management style and business operations, and transit in smoothly. That is a challenge for any new player, local or foreign.”

Read also: Go-Ahead Singapore to launch bus services on Sept

Go-Ahead takes over routes, Pasir Ris interchange

Go-Ahead Singapore raises starting basic salary of bus captains to $1,950

adrianl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 03, 2017.
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Walking for three hours to an old Japanese war shrine in sweltering heat on a battle anniversary is something prisoners of war would do. From Feb 16 to March 12, the public will get the chance to experience this and other similar journeys on a walking tour.

This guided trail, named The Last Days of Empire, is one of 11 organised by the National Heritage Board (NHB) and other partners to mark the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore on Feb 15, 1942, when the Japanese occupation began during World War II.

Besides the tours, other activities organised as part of the commemorative event – titled Battle for Singapore and themed “resilience” – include talks and exhibitions at museums and heritage centres under the Museum Roundtable.

It is an NHB-led initiative set up in 1996 to develop a stronger museum-going culture in Singapore.

The 11 guided tours include sites such as the old Command House; key military installations constructed by the British such as Labrador battery; Gillman Barracks and Alexandra Barracks; and a night tour of Pasir Panjang.

The NHB yesterday gave the media a preview of The Last Days of Empire – a three-hour walking tour starting at the University Cultural Centre in the National University of Singapore. It will take participants to a World War II memorial plaque marking the site where 10 allied commandos in Operation Rimau were executed by the Japanese after a failed operation.

The tour will end at the Old Ford Factory, the site where British forces surrendered Singapore to the Japanese army on Feb 15, 1942. The national monument is set to reopen on Feb 16 after a year-long revamp, featuring never-before- seen archival materials.

NUS historian Mohamed Effendy, who is leading the tour along with students, said participants will be in for a few surprises about the war. For example, some Japanese publications recognised and appreciated the valour of the commandos, who “went to their deaths laughing”.

“The main message we want participants to leave with is that we are responsible for our own defence,” he told the media yesterday.

Other activities include a special exhibition – Celebrating 50 Years of National Service – held at the Army Museum located in Jurong East.

Members of the Eurasian Association will lead guided tours of the Eurasian Heritage Centre to provide greater insights on what the community went through during World War II.

The association will also hold a talk by war survivors.

The public can visit www. museums.com.sg for more information, and will be able to sign up for the Battle for Singapore 2017 programmes from 10am on Monday. Tour slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

raynoldt@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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The black and yellow-beaked Javan mynah may be a common sight here but it is a different story in Indonesia where they are from.

There, they have become a rare breed as a result of poaching.

There are fewer than 2,000 of them in Indonesia, with most in protected areas. In fact, the bird was recently listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

One way to save threatened species such as the Javan mynah could be to “harvest” members of the same species that have been introduced outside their native habitats, suggested a study by researchers in Hong Kong and Australia.

It was published last month in the Frontiers In Ecology And The Environment journal.

In total, the authors identified 49 globally threatened species – those listed by the IUCN as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered – which have established populations outside their native habitats.

These include amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds, as well as insects and plants, with “introduced” populations found on all continents except Antarctica.

“Across the planet, poachers have reached into the last remote habitats to harvest wildlife populations used for clothing, or are eaten, or kept as pets in faraway cities,” said Dr Luke Gibson, from the University of Hong Kong, who led the study.

“In some cases, the traded organisms have escaped and are now thriving in their introduced habitats,” he added.

One example is the Javan mynah, whose population in its home country has dwindled due to demand from the pet trade.

But these birds have thrived in Singapore and adjacent parts of Malaysia after many were released in both areas – both accidentally and deliberately. Today, more than 100,000 of them are found in Singapore alone – thousands of kilometres from Indonesia.

Mr Heru Cahyono, a bird conservationist based in Java, Indonesia, said the Javan mynahs are sold in markets in Indonesia from around US$6 (S$8.50) to US$15.

“Most of the buyers are local people and bird keepers. These birds are often purchased because they can sing and chirp and they are (used) to train other birds to sing along,” he added.

Dr Gibson said he and Mr Yong Ding Li, a PhD student from the Australian National University, decided to work on the study in 2015 after hearing news of a seizure of an illegal shipment of yellow-crested cockatoos in Indonesia.

“They are a species which I see every day in Hong Kong, where I currently live and work.

“It was very surprising to me that such a conspicuous species thriving in the heart of downtown Hong Kong is critically endangered.”

To tackle the problem, the researchers have proposed in the paper that the overseas Javan mynahs be “harvested” to offset demand from the pet trade. This means “to capture them in some kind of legally acceptable manner and use these captured individuals to supply the pet trade”, said Mr Yong.

“It creates an alternative supply – and thus alleviates the threats faced by the native Javan mynah in its range in Java and Bali.”

But wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai said this could raise ethical concerns as it involves taking Javan mynahs back to their native habitat to be sold for the pet trade.

A better option could be captive breeding, where Javan mynahs are caught in Singapore and bred in a facility before they are sent to Indonesia. This, however, requires good planning and coordination by the governments of both countries.

Still, Mr Yong said he believes the idea they propose in the study is valid. While capturing Javan mynahs from their natural ranges in Java and Bali is illegal, the bird is not legally protected in Singapore.

“Harvesting” those in Singapore and Malaysia may lessen the need to poach wild Javan mynahs in national parks in Indonesia, he added, noting that “increased supply would also diminish the street value of a Javan mynah”.

Incidentally,the Javan mynah is believed to have contributed to the decline of bird species in Singapore, such as the common mynah and oriental magpie robin.

According to the annual bird census by Nature Society (Singapore), the common mynah is now uncommon.

In 2014, there were just 13 of these birds, with the decline starting from 2003.

In 2003, the population of the Javan mynahs increased to 841. In 2008, it hit a high of 1,364.

Said Mr Yong: “Javan mynahs have increased dramatically in over 70 years to become the most numerous species in much of Singapore and peninsular Malaysia, and are directly competing with other native mynahs and garden birds.”

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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A company which is being sued by the Singapore taxman for the return of some $9.6 million in tax refunds will be allowed access to relevant documents to aid its defence, the High Court ruled.

In the first such reported case here, the court said the documents were not protected and were not immune to disclosure.

At issue was “whether documents, communications and other papers generated in the course of an investigatory audit by a public authority are protected by legal professional privilege”, wrote Judicial Commissioner Aedit Abdullah in judgment grounds issued on Tuesday.

Legal professional privilege protects all communications between a lawyer and client from being revealed without the client’s consent.

The defendant company had applied for access to documents relating to tax refunds granted by the Comptroller of IncomeTax.

Documents pertaining to a field audit of the company, when issues arose over the tax refunds, were also sought.

The case is rooted in tax returns that the company submitted between 2004 and 2006, seeking tax refunds for interest expenses on a $225 million loan from a bank.

Based on these returns, the comptroller granted some $9.6 million in tax refunds.

But following a review and audit completed in 2008, the comptroller concluded the company had used a tax avoidance arrangement and wrongly claimed the refunds.

The anti-tax avoidance laws empower the comptroller to disregard or vary an arrangement which is aimed at reducing tax liability.

The defendant’s group of companies had undergone restructuring and obtained the $225 million bank loan, but this amount was returned through a complex series of transactions which were allegedly done to get the tax refunds.

The comptroller followed up with additional assessments, in a bid to recover the sums.

The bid was challenged by the company before the Income Tax Board of Review and the case went all the way to the Court of Appeal in what became Singapore’s first anti-tax avoidance case in 2014.

The apex court had ruled that the company claimed the tax refunds under a tax avoidance arrangement but said the comptroller could not recover the money through additional assessments.

The ruling said the comptroller could instead sue the company for mistaken payment, which the comptroller indeed went on to do.

The company in turn sought access to the tax documents to prepare for its defence. Its Drew & Napier lawyers, led by Mr Jaikanth Shankar, argued that the documents would help make out if the comptroller’s claims were valid.

The three groups of documents were meant to show, among other things, that the internal discussions of the officials who assessed the company for tax could show whether the comptroller was mistaken about the tax refunds.

Wong Partnership lawyers, led by Senior Counsel Alvin Yeo, countered for the comptroller that the company’s bid was “a fishing expedition”.

They argued that legal advice and litigation privilege applied to two of the three sets of documents.

The judicial commissioner held that all three groups of documents were “relevant and necessary” to help the company in its case and show the basis for the taxman’s decision.

The judge also ruled that no legal professional privilege was attached to the documents claimed, as they were not created for the “dominant purpose” of litigation.

For instance, the audit documents sought were created to help the comptroller review the decision to grant the tax refund, and not for the lawyers to advise on the audit and the decisions taken, although it was possible the lawyers were “eventually involved”.

“There was no link drawn between the documents and the (legal) advice. Without this, there can be no claim of privilege,” said the judge.

He ruled that detailed directions on the orders sought and costs would be given separately.

vijayan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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The Singapore Medical Council’s complaints committee has ruled there was no professional misconduct by a plastic surgeon whose patient complained he had botched her breast reconstruction 2½ years ago.

Ms Chia Wei Hong, 56, is now challenging this decision by appealing to Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.

She said Dr Tan Bien Keem, the head of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), had not given her a reconstructed breast that was close to the look of her natural breast.

Because of this, she said she needed additional surgery to correct the reconstruction, resulting in more scarring and medical fees.

Ms Chia complained to the SMC in September 2014. The council replied in November last year to say there was no professional misconduct on the part of Dr Tan. It said “symmetry of the breast cannot be achieved immediately”, and that a second stage of reconstruction could solve the problem.

However, Ms Chia had not chosen to have that second stage of reconstruction by Dr Tan.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2014. Following a mastectomy and tests which showed the cancer had not spread, she opted for a breast implant, which was inserted in two stages.

First, an expander was inserted under the skin immediately after the mastectomy, stretching the skin as it was gradually filled with saline. This was replaced 10 weeks later, in July, by a 310cc implant.

She did not require either radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Ms Chia said her reconstructed breast was more than twice the size of her remaining natural breast even after the swelling had receded. “I could not wear my normal fitting clothes. The reconstructed breast ‘starts’ high up on my chest and takes up a lot of volume so my clothes are pulled in a series of folds upwards to the shoulder,” she told The Straits Times.

Dr Tan assured her the size would go down once the swelling caused by the surgery had subsided. He also told her that if she was not satisfied, she could return to have it downsized.

In September, she filed a complaint with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC).

While revisions of reconstruction do not happen often, they are not unheard of.

Dr Ong Wei Chen, a senior reconstructive surgeon at the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) and the National University Hospital (NUH), estimates the number of women needing such revision to be less than 20 per cent. She said: “The aim of breast reconstructive surgery is to reconstruct a mound that is as symmetrical to the other breast (as possible). However, it may not always be so.

“As long as the patient is able to fit her breasts… in a bra without too much discomfort, it should be an acceptable difference.”

Being unable to fit her breast inside a bra, Ms Chia decided to look elsewhere for corrective surgery. In February 2015, she went to Raffles Hospital where plastic surgeon Walter Tan replaced the 310cc implant with one that was 120cc.

This cost her more than $15,000, for which she had to fork over $4,000, with the rest paid for by insurance. Her insurance plan covered the full bill of more than $25,000 for both operations at SGH but pro-rated coverage for surgery at a private hospital.

In its reply to her, SMC’s complaints committee said it would advise Dr Tan by letter to “improve on his communication with his patients”.

But Ms Chia has decided not to let her grievance rest. She said: “I appealed to Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Dec 2, 2016, against the decision of the SMC.”

The law allows the minister to ask the SMC to hold a disciplinary hearing if he feels the case justifies it. When contacted, the spokesman for SGH said the hospital and the doctor would not comment.

salma@sph.com.sg

facebook.com/ST.Salma

CASE FOR CORRECTIVE SURGERY?

“The aim of breast reconstructive surgery is to reconstruct a mound that is as symmetrical to the other breast (as possible). However, it may not always be so. As long as the patient is able to fit her breasts… in a bra without too much discomfort, it should be an acceptable difference.”

DR ONG WEI CHEN, a senior reconstructive surgeon.

This article was first published on Feb 3, 2017.
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The Malaysian native landed here in mysterious circumstances more than a year ago and was discovered while crossing a road in the western part of Singapore.

Likely a victim of smuggling, it was found injured, with part of its body deformed. But yesterday, Rahayu finally got to go home.

The Malaysian giant turtle, which was found with a fish hook in its mouth and a deformed shell, had been cared for by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), a wildlife rescue group.

A member of an endangered species, the turtle nicknamed Rahayu was rescued by Acres in 2015.

Yesterday, the female turtle kept its head tucked in its shell as a large group, including Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin and Acres chief executive Louis Ng, gathered at Acres’ premises near Choa Chu Kang to bid her goodbye.

The not-so-giant turtle was put in a crate, which was later placed in the boot of a car, for its long ride home.

Read also: Vietnam mourns death of sacred giant turtle​

Mr Ng, who is also an MP for Nee Soon GRC, noted that Rahayu had a deformed shell and was likely brought illegally into Singapore and then kept as a pet in a small tub.

The creature, a member of the largest freshwater turtle species in South-east Asia, is the first reptile Acres has released back into the wild.

The two other animals the group previously released were both monkeys, including Asha the rhesus macaque in 2006.

“We can right this wrong by sending them back to where they came from so they can live out their lives back in the wild again,” said Mr Ng.

“We didn’t want this to be the final chapter in the life of all these animals.”

The turtle, which weighs 30kg and measures about 70cm in length, was handed to the Malaysian authorities yesterday afternoon. It is not known how old it is.

Rahayu is expected to be released into a nature reserve in Malaysia on Sunday.

Read also: Indian police rescue 6,000 turtles in ‘largest’ haul

Acres’ deputy chief executive Kalai Vanan, who manages the animal care and wildlife rescue department, said: “Rahayu is the first (reptile) and certainly won’t be the last.

“She is an ambassador to the cause that we are undertaking, that our rescued wild animals deserve a second chance at living free and that it can be done.”

Considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Malaysian giant turtle is traded for its meat and used in traditional Chinese medicine, and is also kept illegally as a pet.

At the event yesterday, Mr Tan urged members of the public to do their part by not collecting exotic pets, consuming their meat or using their body parts for medicinal or religious purposes.

The Acres Wildlife Rescue Centre is home to more than 190 wild animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

The animals there were either abandoned or kept as pets in Singapore. They include Indian star tortoises and pig-nosed turtles.

Read also: Badly cut 1m-long sea turtle found dead along Changi Beach

This article was first published on Feb 03, 2017.
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You may think you’re a speed demon now, but your ability to drive as skillfully goes down sharply as you age.

On Thursday, huge automated dispensers started popping up in Singapore handing out kits to help people test their reaction time, vision and hearing ability.

The traffic police’s “Road Master Kit” is pretty low-tech, but it does what it says on the label.

Inside, you’ll get a poster of a street scene to test your eyesight, a simple list of questions to assess hearing loss, and a ruler so you can do a drop test for reflexes.

To get a kit, seniors can scan their concession cards, which are commonly used on buses and trains, and the dispenser pops one out.

The traffic police designed the kit together with local healthcare providers such as the Singapore National Eye Centre, which provided consultation on the visual test.

The hearing test consists of a list of questions that seniors can do at home, and it is based upon the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly test.

For the reaction time drop test, a ruler is held up by someone else and dropped without warning.

The idea is to see how far the ruler’s fallen before you react and catch it.

It’s not that easy, by the way. We tried it on someone in her 20s, who failed to catch the ruler entirely.

Police statistics in the city showed that 122 elderly pedestrians, aged 60 and above, were involved in traffic accidents from January to June in 2016.

Read the full article here.

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